


Nothing to Hide

by deedeeinfj



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-09
Updated: 2013-02-09
Packaged: 2017-11-28 18:22:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/677434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deedeeinfj/pseuds/deedeeinfj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben and Leslie don't have to hide their relationship anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing to Hide

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by americnxidiot

The morning after they decide to say “screw it,” they manage to extricate themselves from bed, throw on some clothes, and go to J.J.’s for a late breakfast. Leslie can’t stop smiling, and Ben seems to be having the same problem. So they grin at each other like a couple of idiots as they place their orders and sip their coffees.

Leslie flinches when Ben reaches across the table to cover her hand with his. Realizing that this is okay now only makes her grin even more stupidly. She turns her hand palm up and sighs when he strokes her palm with his fingertips.

“I’m gonna cry,” she says.

Ben’s eyes are looking a little shiny, too.

Without really planning it or thinking about it, she slides out of her booth and signals for Ben to scooch over on his side, then she settles herself into the seat beside him, clasping his left hand in her right. But it doesn’t feel like enough.

She thinks back on all those dates in separate cars, dressed like she would at work, never touching, avoiding looks that were too long or too affectionate. Legal pads and other props beside them to make everything look above-board. Planning before every date what their cover was, just in case a coworker saw them.

But there are no covers this morning, no pretending. She’s sitting beside the man she loves – yes, loves – and it doesn’t matter who sees. She feels like they’re making up for lost time. She lets go of his hand and threads her arm through his, holding him close. She brushes her nose along his stubbly jaw, eyes closed, absorbing his feel and his smell. She lays her head on his shoulder.

When J.J. sets down their plates, he raises an eyebrow but says nothing. Leslie usually tears into her waffles like a raccoon takes to a bag of trash, but this morning she takes a full minute to enjoy the sensations that add up to make her the happiest woman in Pawnee, and therefore the world. The smell of waffles and coffee and whipped cream. Ben’s body right next to hers, all warm and  _there_. The underrated feeling of having nothing to hide.

“Hey,” Ben says, nudging her a little with his arm. “Your food’s getting cold.”

Leslie lifts her head to look at him, and even though he has a piece of bacon halfway to his mouth, she turns his face with her hand and kisses him. She hears the bacon fall to his plate, and then his fingers curl around the nape of her neck. She isn’t worried that his hand might be greasy because they both need showers anyway, and J.J. doesn’t make greasy bacon.

“This is the longest I’ve ever ignored a waffle,” she mumbles between kisses, and his chest shakes against her as he laughs.

“I don’t generally like PDA, but today…” Ben pulls back a little, and his eyes flit from her eyes to her mouth and back to her eyes again. “Today I kind of want to kiss you all over Pawnee and force everybody to watch.”

It’s her turn to laugh, and then their lips are pressed together again, and everything tastes like bacon and Ben.

“You know what I want?” she whispers, placing a light kiss on the corner of his mouth.

“Hmm.”

“I want to go back home, get in bed with you, and stay there for a good, long time.” They exchange a smile, and Leslie tugs on the lapels of his coat. “I’m going to eat my waffles now, but don’t you think for a second that I wouldn’t rather be all over you.”

“Ditto,” Ben replies with one of his elfin grins.

They both dig in, and Leslie realizes how hungry she is. Well, of course. She hasn’t eaten since before… She smiles to herself. Many hours and a lot of emotional and physical exertion.

A few times, one of them gets distracted. Leslie finds herself unable to resist kissing the side of his neck, and it’s probably going to be a little sticky from the syrup on her lips. Ben, apparently, finds it necessary to put his hand on her thigh and squeeze. They’re the nauseating couple that makes everyone think, “Get a room,” and Leslie doesn’t care because they deserve to have this now.

“Ron,” Ben says under his breath, and Leslie looks at him in confusion.

Then she turns her head to the door, where Ron Swanson is standing like a larger-than-life sheriff in an old Western. She suddenly feels like the bank robber who’s just been nabbed.

 _But you’re not_ , she tells herself with conviction.  _We’re doing this thing for real._

That means telling people. So they might as well get started.


End file.
